STARS Program

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The STARS program originally consisted of three components: (1) family connectivity which addresses the reduction of familial stressors; (2) healthy interactions which addresses issues of participant and familial substance abuse, participant victimization, and inadequate coping skills; and (3) academic success which addresses academic issues through weekly group sessions in which students participate in school/career related activities. At the request of the community, the program was expanded to include family date nights, conflict resolution classes, a youth leadership component, and GED support for students. Additional funding will allow the College of Education to continue to provide services at the Garcia Center. All the STARS programming will continue to implement research-based strategies. The major goal of the STARS program is to aid adjudicated and at-risk youth as they make the choices that will impact their lives. The overall goals are: initial and follow-up assessments for project participants; provide research-based, prevention and intervention curricula for project participants; provide safe, effective individualized counseling services for clients that indicate the need for service; provide career advice and access to employment for student participants; continue to offer "Family Night Outz" programming in an effort to enhance social, emotional, and psychological development and to strengthen family cohesiveness and unity; promote skills that contribute to the effective expression of emotions and stress management strategies; and work with students attending an after school program to promote skills that enhance students' problem solving and coping skills which in turn will promote their school success. NCA/NCF